The Beauty Underneath: Phantom's Love Never Dies
by Creativewriter2011
Summary: Elizabeth Daaé never thought she would be telling her story after so many years, but here she speaks of her mother, Christine and how she was reunited with the one man she truly love, the Phantom who may just be Elizabeth's and Gustave's real father.
1. Prologue: Looking Back

Life was different at the turn of the century; New York was the place to be. New York, New York; the sights, the sounds, the wonder of the world were found here. And then there was Coney Island; the playground of the beaches of the island of Manhattan. What downtown New York couldn't give, Coney Island did. Shows and carnivals everyday, performances every hour on the how; silence could never be found.

Times were different; people wanted more than just simple side-shows. They wanted to be amazed and shocked by the hidden wonders that roamed the beaches of Coney Island. That's when we arrived on Coney Island. Ten years ago that's when the islands mysteries were revealed to us; me and my brother, Gustave. Our life was altered those few days we spent on Coney Island. We learned that the world wasn't all that beautiful, not simply beautiful. There was hidden beauty underneath the foundation of Coney Island.

This was when we came to find the spectacle of Coney Island; Phantasma. It was the city of wonders; created by Mr. Y, who was someone you wanted to meet on a good day. But when you wanted to see him, he was never around to be found. He had it all; human prodigies, astonishing thrills and performances by the soprano of the century, Christine Daaé. She was my mother and best friend when I needed her more than a mother-figure.

This journey from the beautiful land of Europe to the amazing America changed not only our life, but the life the man who summoned us to Coney Island. Tragedy and jealous were unexpectedly found here, where the joy and excitement of Phantasma casted its spell over the world. It revealed to us the truth that had been be hidden and the secrets of the family that were somehow been overlooked by others.

This was a story that I would never forget of, for as long as I would live. Truth and passion were hidden within its blanketed cover, while rage and injustice lingered in its pages. I don't know how many times I've looked over this old journal, containing everything; the secrets, the curses, and all the terrifying memories that still haunt my dreams. And yet I still dream of happier times that brought me and Gustave such joy and peace. But so many sad and gloomy memories to cloud our happy days when we were here on Coney Island.

I still look out over the sea and see the wonders of the world that was Coney Island. And yet now, it all seems to be a distant memory that has faded and changed over time. Characters have left and gone while I still linger here, waiting for the good times to awaken from their deep slumber. I await the sound of music to caress my broken spirit and heal my dead heart.

"Elizabeth…"

"Gustave, my dear brother. How are you?"

He shook his head, trying to smile "I have had better days."

"How is father?" I exclaimed, putting the journal down and hugging his neck.

"He is alright. He wants to see you."

I hadn't seen my father in almost a month. The life of a great extraordinaire writer of just the age of 21 was already chaotic. Me being the best of any writer in New York meant for me to be kept from my family and sometimes my dearest friends.


	2. Chapter 1 Phantasma Opening Season

_Coney Island, 1905_

I walked with my parents and my brother, Gustave as we arrived on Coney Island. There was a huge crowd of photographers at the end of the ramp as we got off the boat. The yell mother's name several times, shouting and applauding as she was escorted by our father down the ramp. Me and Gustave weren't that far behind father, but every one seemed to surround us as well as we reached level ground.

Me and Gustave had already heard so much about the spectacular attraction called Phantasma at on Coney Island, but we had never seen it. We had been in living in Paris for so long that all we knew was of the tragedy of the Opera House where mother once sang and where she was reunited with o her childhood lover, our father; Raoul. But sometimes me and Gustave would wonder if our father ever loved us. He was always drinking and he always yelled at us for no apparent reason.

Me and Gustave were born after our parents, Christine and Raoul were wed after the Paris Opera House Fire. Both me and Gustave are twins, except I'm the female version of him; we're only about a minute apart, me being older.

"Please no pictures of my wife or our children. Please leave them out of this." Raoul exclaimed pushing mother through the crowd. We followed, confused and misled by the events that were to come before us. At the clearing of the crowd was a large mechanical ride; it looked like a carriage, but it was all black and metal. Three people were standing in front of it and they were sort of different from the rest of the crowd. One of them was female and seemed to be half-woman and half-bird; the tall man was very muscular and the other gentleman was tall and thin.

_**"Are you ready to begin?" the muscular man exclaimed.**_

"IS THIS A JOKE?"

"Raoul, please not in front of the children." Christine whispered as she grabbed our hands.

"Mother, I think they want us to go with them. Come on Gustave let's go and get in." I excitedly yelped. I thought this was an adventure for me and Gustave as we ran from Christine and Raoul. They stood there and argued watching us as we approached the strange trio.

_**"Hello children, let us introduce ourselves." They all exclaimed in unison.**_

_**"I'm Miss Fleck."**_

_** "The Might Squelch."**_

_** "Doctor Gangle." **_

_** "At your service…" they all answered.**_

"You all must work for Mr. Y at Phantasma, right?" Gustave asked as he held my hand.

"Yes, we live to serve the master. He is our mistro and confidant." Fleck hissed as they helped us in the carriage.

"Are you parents always like that?" Gangle said raising an eye brow.

"Yea, it's been like this since our father started drinking and gambling. Mother worries all the time about him and how it affects us. We try to ignore it, but it never helps; it only makes matters worse." Gustave sighed as Fleck helped into the carriage.

"I'm sorry that you two have to endure the pain of a broken marriage." Gangle replied helping me into the carriage.

"It's not broken; it just needs to be mended if possible." I smiled as turned back towards our parents. They weren't arguing anymore and our father, Raoul had walked off as our mother, Christine walked towards us. She climbed in quietly as Squelch helped her in; she had tears running down her face. It was a bad disagreement and she was broken once again.

She looked up at us as she dried her tears and smiled lightly. Fleck got into the carriage with us; handing both me and Gustave a special gift. It was a small music note box and it seemed to play a tune of grace and peace. Mother smiled as we listened to the melody that caressed her spirit and filled up her emptiness.

"Miss Daaé, Mr. Y would like to invite you dinner as a welcoming token of his gratitude. Also that he has provided a place for you to stay on the island, instead of you having to commute to the island each day. He was thinking of you and your family when he planned this." Fleck said as she sat mysteriously in the carriage across from us. Christine nodded and sighed with relief.

"Is this dinner engagement for me only?"

"Yes madame. Mr. Y also said that the children could have dinner, provide by the staff and that they could enjoy themselves while you two discussed business."

Christine looked over at us and gently kissed our heads as we arrived at the fairground.

"Tell Mr. Y that I must first get my children settled before I come to dinner, but that I accept his invitation." She exclaimed as we climbed out of the carriage. Squelch was already carrying our luggage and Gangle was leading us to the giant doll house of apartments.

"As you wish, Madame." Fleck climbed out and onto the top of the carriage. Gangle lead us into the doll house which looked like a palace inside; the floors were as shiny as glass and as smooth as silk. We staying on the top two floors; it was a suite and me and Gustave didn't have to share a room. It was massive and well furnished; everything looked to be from a storybook, and yet it was so real.

"Miss Daaé, when you are ready to go, just call for one of us to come get you. We are just down stairs in the main pallor." Squelch advised taking a bow and leaving. Christine changed into one of dresses from years ago; all pale and life-like. Me and Gustave changed into something a little more comfortable. I put one of my striped play dresses on and Gustave took his jacket off and loosened his shirt collar. We could be kids again and we could relax.

"So how do I look?" she said stepping into the common room. We stood staring; she was wearing a long white collared dress with ¾ length sleeves and her hair was hanging down in a lower bun. She wore a bonnet that was covered with white roses and a single red rose in the middle.

_**"You look so beautiful, so very beautiful."**_

Christine began to cry as tears ran down her cheeks. She kissed us both on the head as we all walked out together. Little did we know that Mr. Y was an old friend of the family; more like an old friend of mother's.


	3. Chapter 2 Mother, Please I'm Scared

Chapter 2: Mother, Please I'm Scared

We had a wonderful time taking a tour of the park with the strange trio that worked for Mr. Y; we saw shows, ate amazing foods and even got to walk the beach. We had a marvelous time, but now we were tired. Fleck and Squelch took us back to the doll house where we were staying as we climbed to the stairs slowly. We had had so much fun that we were exhausted.

When we got upstairs to our rooms, we undressed and changed into our night clothes. Gustave was asleep before I even got to my room. I got a glass of water from the bathing room and then changed into my long night gown. I dragged my feet across the cold floor as I enter my dimly-lit room which was decorated like a carousel. Bright colors of blues and reds consumed my walls as I laid down on my comfy bed. Like feathers I gently fell to sleep and began to dream.

Suddenly I began to feel as if my heart were set afire; everything began to spin as I felt my breathing quicken. My body began to go numb and I thought I saw hands reaching for me as I tried to run away from them. Gustave's shadow laid bare against a wall beside me as I heard him scream in terror. I was so frightened that I couldn't even scream out. I tried to reach for Gustave, yet my body remained still as my head began to whirl and pound. I felt as everything inside of me was trying to fight and was failing. I wanted to wake up from this nightmare, but how? I tried to imagine a happy place, somewhere far away from this dream and that's when I heard it…

A sweet, yet strange melody rang out through the midnight air. It was so beautiful and the each note captured me as I tried to make out the tune. This tune was unfamiliar to me, yet I felt like I had heard it before, maybe in another lifetime, but I couldn't put my finger on it. Had Mother ever sang this tune, or had I heard it today while exploring Phantasma? I did not, but the sound calmed me down and released the tense that had a hold of me. I slowly opened my eyes and found myself now laying on the floor and Gustave still in bed. Had he been a sleep this entire time, or was he still enduring the pain of the nightmare?

I grabbed my journal from under my pillow and began to write what I saw and what I heard. The sweet melody flowed onto the paper as the story began to take flight. I was gifted at using words and transforming them into a beauty image. My words could be like a beautiful rose blooming or they could be like a poison that threatened the soul, but it all depended on the mood and the setting I was in. At this moment, the words just poured out of my soul, and then I remembered…GUSTAVE! He was still dreaming while I was writing everything down we had seen. Most of the time when I had a dream and he was in it, we were both having the same dream.

"AHHHH!"Gustave screamed, finally awakening from the dream.

"Are you alright?"

"Elizabeth…I was so frightened. Did you see what I saw?

I shook my head; I had only heard him scream and see his shadow on the wall before I had blanked out and awaken.

"I want Mother!"

I saw the fear still lingering in eyes as he grabbed my hand and shivered. I began to shiver as well as the nightmare began to flash back into my mind. I felt so cold and frightened once again that I couldn't bare it anymore. I held onto Gustave's hand and pulled out of the bed and into the long hallway. Paintings and lights filled the long passage as Gustave and I ran towards the drawing room, where Father had been shortly before departing to go and meet Mr. Hammerstein. Before entering the room, I heard whispers…one was Mother's, but the other I did not recognize. Either way, right now, me and Gustave where frightened and when needed her. At the moment, we burst into the room and hugged Mother for protection from the nightmare that had haunted us.

"_**Mother, please I'm scared. What a dream, an awful dream", Gustave cried.**_

"_**Someone strange and mad, seething me and drowning me", I exclaimed trying to hold back tears and stay close to Mother.**_

"It's alright my dears," she reassured us, _**"Come and meet a friend of mine."**_

"_**Welcome to my world my friends", the man standing behind Mother smiled.**_

"This is Mr. Y." Mother choked.

I looked up at Mother and how see looked into Mr. Y's eyes; it was the look I had seen her give Father so many time, but not anymore. Ever since Father had started having problems, Mother had stopped looking at him in a special way, yet here she was looking at Mr. Y the way she used look at Father. It was fascinating; this was something I had to figure out when I was older. Mr. Y was a tall man, taller than Father and he wore a long black trench coat that stretched out behind him. Over his left side of his face, he wore a black mask and in the moonlight it shimmered like a star.

"So, Gustave how do you like my world?"

"It's amazing!" he grinned.

"And you, my dear?" Mr. Y glanced my way.

I had not been paying attention as to what was going on around me, but only to the missing elements that everything seemed to have been not noticing while everyone was talking.

"I think it's fantastic. No words can describe the beauty of this world that you have created. I couldn't even try to write it down in my journal…" I replied, gathering my thoughts together.

"Ah, so you're a writer?"

"I want to be, it's the only talent I know, beside playing music and writing lyrics."

"Me too, I love music." Gustave added.

A pale coloring came over Mr. Y's face as we answered his questions. He glanced at Mother a few times and then back at us. I felt as if we were being study, but I wasn't positive, then Mr. Y smiled and relaxed.

"Children, tomorrow I shall have to show you some of my new additions to Phantasma."

"Yes, but it's late and you must get back to sleep; you go back to your room and I'll be there in a minute." Mother sighed, kissing our foreheads and sending us on our way.

As I left the room, I felt a shift in the mood as Mr. Y and Mother were left alone once again.


End file.
